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Housing Glossary

You will find information here on all topics relating to housing in Barcelona

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Accrued interest

The interest applied as a penalisation when the debtor does not comply with repayment obligations. The amount must be established in the contract.

Active supermortgage

This allows the client to choose their loan's benchmark index (MIBOR at three months, six months or a year) so that payment can benefit from lower interest rates sooner.

Adaptable instalment

Characteristic of UCI superloans that allow the borrower to not pay one instalment a year for the first three years if there are problems due to holidays, extraordinary expenses, etc.

Advanced cancellation fee

A commission arising from the financial risk involved in the advanced cancellation of an operation. The applied commission compensates the financial institution for its financial losses.

AEDE

Direct state aid for paying the deposit on a property.

Affordable housing

Group of social housing or dwellings from social renovation projects that are sold or rented at below-market prices.

Affordable rent

The cost of renting these dwellings is below market prices after being included in operations concerning the rented flat pool, social renovation or social housing promotions.

Amortisation

Payment made to repay a loan.

Amortisation period

The duration of the loan. The contract establishes the date of the first and last payments. The longer the period, the lower the payments are, but the higher the interest. You therefore pay more in the end. The monthly instalment should not exceed 35% of your net income.

API

Estate agent. A qualified professional who acts as an intermediary between the two interested parties to facilitate the signing of a real estate contract, which can be a rental agreement, a sales agreement or another similar contract. They usually charge a percentage of the sales price as compensation or commission.

Applicant

A citizen who makes a registration application to the Barcelona Social Housing Applicants Registry, and who represents the other members of the dwelling unit included in the application.

APR

Annual Equivalent Rate. Effective annual cost of the mortgage in terms of interest, commissions and the repayment period. To compare loans, it is not enough to just look at the lowest APR, you also have to compare the conditions, the repayment period and the distribution of instalment payments.

Arbitri municipal de plusvàlua

Former denomination of the capital gains tax on landed property.

Assessment

The value of a dwelling certified by a specialised assessment company, in accordance with the mortgage market law. This certificate not only indicates the real value of the property, it also serves as a reference for obtaining the necessary financing.

Authorisation

Document in which the owner authorises the tenant to carry out building work in the dwelling's interior.

Close glossary

Housing offices only offer face-to-face assistance by prior appointment, so check out the “Housing calls you” service here to receive the most appropriate personalised assistance. If you also need assistance in energy rights, book an appointment with an energy-advice point (PAE) by clicking here. On the other hand, if you reside in an IMHAB public dwelling you can consult our contact, management and processing channels here.​

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Agreement with WikiHousing to drive sustainable and affordable homes for young people

Agreement with WikiHousing to drive sustainable and affordable homes for young people

14/10/2024 - 15:28

Housing. A block of four homes will be built in the neighbourhood of Poble-sec, with social rents.

A collaboration agreement with the WikiHousing project will see a block of four homes with social rents for young people built in the neighbourhood of Poble-sec. Over a hundred young people took part in the co-design and self-build process. The City Council will fund 46% of the cost and the flats will become part of the city’s protected housing stock. Work should get under way at the start of 2025.

Through the Municipal Institute of Housing (IMHAB), the City Council has granted the use of the plot at Passeig de l’Exposició, 38, where the experimental block of four flats of 50 square metres and a spacious collaborative area will  be located. The building consists of four prefabricated modules made from light wood, to be assembled on-site. This innovative system allows for a faster and more eco-friendly construction process, cutting building time by more than half compared to conventional projects.

WikiHousing is an initiative launched by the studio Straddle3, Societat Orgànica and the Barcelona Institute of Urban Research (IDRA), to offer a standardised and replicable solution to cut construct costs and maximise social and environmental benefits.

The project started in 2021 after being selected in the call “The Proactive City” by the  Fundació BIT Habitat. Since then, over a hundred young people from Barcelona have taken part in a collaborative co-design and self-construction process (DIWO), creating a prototype on a real scale. The City Council gave continuity to the project with the goal of enlarging the city’s public housing stock.

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